Rays' Zack Littell: Strikes out six in no-decision
Rotowire
Littell did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's 11-3 win over the Mariners, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts over five innings.
Littell opened with four scoreless innings before allowing a two-run home run to Ty France in the fifth. He generated an impressive 14 swinging strikes on just 72 pitches and has rebounded from a rough start June 14 by yielding just two runs in each of his past two outings. The 28-year-old owns a 4.17 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 82:16 K:BB this season and will try to record his first win since May 11 against the Royals next week.
Rays' Zack Littell: Allows two runs in no-decision
Rotowire
Littell did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over five innings against the Twins. He struck out five.
Thursday represented a return to form for Littell, who held the Twins to single tallies in each of the second and third innings. Littell had posted a 7.71 ERA and 2.07 WHIP with four homers given up across three starts in June entering Thursday, including a season-worst six earned runs allowed in just two frames during his previous start. Although he was touched up for a homer for the seventh consecutive outing, it was also the first time in five starts he didn't allow at least three earned runs. He tentatively lines up for a home matchup with the Mariners next week.
Littell (2-5) yielded seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and a walk over two innings Friday, striking out two and taking a loss against Atlanta.
Atlanta jumped all over Littell right out of the gate, tallying five runs in the first inning and two more in the second. It was Littell's shortest outing of the year and he saw his ERA jump from 3.63 to 4.24 in the process. Over his last six starts, he's posted a 5.79 ERA in 31.2 frames. Still looking for his first win since May 11, Littell's next start is projected to come in Minnesota.
